The following report is by Madison River Outfitters:
Montana
Hebgen & Quake Lakes: The lakes are fishing pretty good on the calmer days, we’re still stripping buggers, leeches, and chironomids. There have been a few fish looking up on adult chironomids as well. It’s still a ways out from prime callibaetis fishing (and gulpers) but there are definitely fish to be had out on the still water!
Flies We’re Fishing:
#16 Griffith’s Gnat, #18 Bucky’s Midge Cluster, #16 Royal Chubby, #14 Black & Red Nugget, #14 O.S. Buzzer, #16 Lake Prince, #8 Black or Olive Simi-Seal Leech, #8 Black Hot Bead Leech, #8 Vegas Booby Leech, #6 Black/Olive Wooly Bugger.
Madison Flows:
Hebgen Lake Inflow: 1061 CFS
Hebgen Lake Outflow: 573 CFS
Kirby Flows: 864 CFS
Cameron Flows: 1050 CFS
Water Temp @ Kirby: High 56 F
Low 41 F
Flows as of 12PM May 9th 2026
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Our newest member of the MRO team, Luke with a nice Upper Mad Rainbow!
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Upper Madison: The Upper is fishing pretty consistently, although much lower than it usually is in early May. We’re seeing the first mothers day caddis hatches down in the float section, with a good mix of baetis and sparse march browns. Fish are definitely starting to look up, and small attractors like chubbies and wulffs should also start rising some. The nymphing is as solid as ever, with mayfly nymphs & emergers, caddis pupa, and stonefly nymphs all on the menu. Streamers are always a safe bet too, although it might be more of a grind with the low water.
Flies We’re Fishing: #16 BWO Loopwing, #18 Split Case BWO, #16 Ram Caddis, #16 Olive Biot Pupa, #16 & #18 TBH Red Neck, #18 Olive SH Hare’s Ear, #12 & #14 Black Rubberleg Stone, #16 Firestarter, #16 Sunburst Perdigon, #16 Royal Chubby, #16 Olive X-Caddis, #16 Missing Link, #16 Hot Mess Caddis, #18 BWO Parachute, #8 Black Hot Bead Leech, #6 Mini Sex Dungeon Black or Olive, #6 Copper Zonker
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Guide Hugh’s client Will with a decent wade section rainbow
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YNP
Madison, Firehole, Gibbon: The majority of the three rivers on our side of the park are open as of May 1st (some of the Gibbon is still closed!) They’re all fishing pretty well right now, with some caddis and baetis hatching mainly on the Firehole. Swinging soft hackles is always a great tactic this time of year, and we’ve been swinging up plenty of fish employing it. (Due to a recent bear/hiker encounter, a large section of the firehole between old faithful and fountain flats is closed indefinitely as of May 8th 2026. Check the NPS website for a more detailed map of closed areas, and be bear aware when hiking/fishing in areas in which bears are present)
Gallatin: The YNP section of the Gallatin will open as usual with the rest of the parks general fishing season on the Saturday of memorial day, May 23rd. The Montana stretch to big sky is fishing OK but is going to be pretty chalky and opaque downstream of the Taylor Fork. The river is still very cold but we are turning some fish almost exclusively on small caddis nymphs and rubberlegs.
NE Corner: The Yellowstone wont open until July 1st, and the rest of the rivers up there will most likely be too high to effectively fish until a bit later in the summer.
YNP Flows
Firehole: 354 CFS
Gibbon: 138 CFS
Madison: 521 CFS
Yellowstone Outlet: 1060 CFS
Gallatin: 743 CFS
Lamar: 2110 CFS
Soda Butte: gage is gone!
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Get out there!